After spending the last six years raising three children, Vancouver’s Mitzi Jones is about to enter a new stage in her career. An actor, teacher and director with 20 years of experience in show business, Jones will teach Acting for All Ages at Powell River Academy of Music starting in September.
For trained actors, particularly British and Canadian thespians, their first love is performing on stage; Jones said she shares that sentiment.
American actors tend to go after big fame and big money on movie and television screens, said Jones, adding that she loves the stage because it opens up the unexpected world of live performances that are different every night.
“I’m one of those people who likes the smell of the theatre,” said Jones. “It just feels like home.”
Jones said she spent time on Savary Island while growing up and that Powell River is close to her heart.
“I like very small places, very naturally beautiful places,” she said. “But I also have the city where I grew up and Powell River seems to have a really nice balance between those two things, especially now. It’s in a real progressive state.”
A graduate of Vancouver Film School, Jones and her young family moved to the Cranberry neighbourhood two years ago. She previously worked on stages in Vancouver and London, and appeared on screen in Project Grey, Walls Talk and Sole Survivor.
Jones attented a method program at Lyric School of Acting and began teaching early in her career after meeting Vancouver-based casting director Carole Tarlington, who was well-known for finding young actors such as Ryan Reynolds, according to Jones.
“She started a kids’ acting school called Tarlington Training and after auditioning for and meeting her, she hired me to teach,” said Jones. “She started teaching acting with very young children, starting at age four and up to age 14.
During that time and with the teaching tool in her belt, Jones went to London to act and teach and returned to Vancouver to teach weeklong acting classes in the summer.
After having her first child, Jones returned to BC and looked for acting classes and schools where she could continue teaching.
“When I approached the academy they were really interested,” said Jones. “I originally approached them just to do kids’ classes but then [Academy of Music director] Walter Martella asked, ‘Can you teach adults as well?’”
Jones is interested in adult actors and/or wannabe actors who might be sitting at home and wondering how to ply their craft.
“They always wanted to do it, or they used to do it or they went to school for it,” she said. “I’m hoping we find a lot of people in Powell River who came here and, like me, had kids and settled.”
Jones said she also has a sense that there is an appetite for more than acting classes. Performance is sought as well, she said.
“We’re just starting to take a look around,” said Jones. “There’s a lot we should do and I’m open to it all.”
Acting for All Ages runs for 12 weeks on Thursdays from September 21 through December 7. For information, go to powellriveracademy.org.
